WEALTH HAS THREE AVENUES- PTML-20

 SUBHASHITHANI:411

Mantharaka (Turtle) completed the story of Somilaka telling Hiranyaka 
(The mouse)and Laghupatanaka (The crow ) that however  rich a person, if  he does not enjoy or give charity, he is as poor as any poor person can be. Both the poor and the miserly rich are incapable of enjoying their wealth.

दानं भोगो नाशस्तिस्रो गतयो भवन्ति वित्तस्य – Wealth has three avenues – charity, enjoyment and loss. When you do not give it away, nor spend it, wealth gets lost, said Mantharaka. 2.154

गृह-मध्य-निखातेन धनेन धनिनो यदि ।
भवामः किं न तेनैव धनेन धनिनो वयं ॥ १५१ ॥

gṛha-madhya-nikhātena dhanena dhanino yadi |
bhavāmaḥ kiṃ na tenaiva dhanena dhanino vayaṃ || 2.151 ||

If people are to be considered wealthy just because of wealth that lies buried in the house, why should we not call ourselves rich by that very same wealth?  (Both derive very little benefit from it)

उपार्जितानाम् अर्थानां त्याग एव हि रक्षणम् ।
तडागोदर-संस्थानां परीवाह इवाम्भसाम् ॥ १५२ ॥

upārjitānām arthānāṃ tyāga eva hi rakṣaṇam |
taḍāgodara-saṃsthānāṃ parīvāha ivāmbhasām || 2.152 ||

Giving away in charity is the best way to protect it; just as releasing the stored water is the best way to protect the lake.

दातव्यं भोक्तव्यं सति विभवे सञ्चयो न कर्तव्यः ।
पश्येह मधुकरीणां सञ्चितमर्थं हरन्त्यन्ये ॥

Daatavyam bhoktavam sati vibhave sanchayo na kartavyah I
Pasyeha madhukareenaam sanchitam artham harantyanye II 2.153

One should spend (invest) and donate, and never hoard the wealth that is earned. We can see that the honey hived up by bees ends up being stolen by others.

दानं भोगो नाशस्तिस्रो गतयः भवन्ति वित्तस्य ।
यो न ददाति न भुङ्क्ते तस्य तृतीया गतिर्भवति ॥ ४३ ॥
dānaṃ bhogo nāśastisro gatayo bhavanti vittasya ।
yo na dadāti na bhuṅkte tasya tṛtīyā gatirbhavati ॥2.154
Charity, enjoyment, and destruction are the only three possible ways money can end up in. If a man does not give it to others, nor enjoys himself, his wealth ends up in the third possibility i.e. destruction.

सर्पाः पिबन्ति पवनं न च दुर्बलास् ते

शुष्कैस् तृणैर् वन-गजा बलिनो भवन्ति ।
कन्दैः फलैर् मुनि-वरा गमयन्ति कालं

सन्तोष एव पुरुषस्य परं निधानम् ॥ १५६ ॥

sarpāḥ pibanti pavanaṃ na ca durbalās te

 śuṣkais tṛṇair vana-gajā balino bhavanti |
kandaiḥ phalair muni-varā gamayanti kālaṃ

 santoṣa eva puruṣasya paraṃ nidhānam || 2.156 ||

Snakes live mostly on air, and are yet not weak. Elephants survive on dried grass, yet are very strong. Sanyasis live by eating just roots and fruits, yet are always at peace. Contentment is the highest wealth of man.

सन्तोषामृत-तृप्तानां यत् सुखं शान्त-चेतसाम् ।
कुतस् तद्-धन-लुब्धानाम् इतश् चेतश् च धावताम् ॥ १५७ ॥

santoṣāmṛta-tṛptānāṃ yat sukhaṃ śānta-cetasām |
kutas tad-dhana-lubdhānām itaś cetaś ca dhāvatām || 2.157 ||
The peace and calm that contentment brings cannot be experienced by men who are greedy of wealth and running here and tither in search of it.

पीयूषम् इव संतोषं पिबतां निर्वृतिः परा ।
दुःखं निरन्तरं पुंसाम् असंतोषवतां पुनः ॥ १५८ ॥

pīyūṣam iva saṃtoṣaṃ pibatāṃ nirvṛtiḥ parā |
duḥkhaṃ nirantaraṃ puṃsām asaṃtoṣavatāṃ punaḥ || 2.158 ||

Those who are happy and contented are forever in bliss. Those who are unhappy and unsatisfied are always in misery.

निरोधाच् चेतसो ऽक्षाणि निरुद्धान्य् अखिलान्य् अपि ।
आच्छादिते रवौ मेघैः सञ्छन्नाः स्युर् गभस्तयः ॥ १५९ ॥

nirodhāc cetaso 'kṣāṇi niruddhāny akhilāny api |
ācchādite ravau meghaiḥ sañchannāḥ syur gabhastayaḥ || 2.159 ||

When the mind is restrained, all the organs of senses are also restrained; when the sun is covered by clouds the rays are also covered.

वाञ्छा-विच्छेदनं प्राहुः स्वास्थ्यं शान्ता मह-र्षयः ।
वाञ्छा निवर्तते नार्थैः पिपासेवाग्नि-सेवनैः ॥ १६० ॥

vāñchā-vicchedanaṃ prāhuḥ svāsthyaṃ śāntā maha-rṣayaḥ |
vāñchā nivartate nārthaiḥ pipāsevāgni-sevanaiḥ || 2.160 ||

Great sages, who are tranquil, say that peace of mind is obtained by eliminating desires; desires cannot be removed by enjoyment of objects as thirst is not quenched by resorting to fire. 

 We have similar idea mentioned in Manusmruti and Mahabharata:

न जातु कामः कामानामुपभोगेन शाम्यति ।
हविषा कृष्णवर्त्मैव भूय एवाभिवर्धते ॥ ९४ ॥Manusmruti
na jātu kāmaḥ kāmānāmupabhogena śāmyati |
haviṣā kṛṣṇavartmaiva bhūya evābhivardhate ||2.94 ||
Never is desire appeased by the enjoyment of desires; it only waxes stronger, like fire by clarified butter.

SRI KRISHNAYA THUBHYAM NAMAH